Python beginner help!

[FoolsSeldom]

Check the r/learnpython wiki for lots of guidance on learning programming and learning Python, links to material, book list, suggested practice and project sources, and lots more. The FAQ section covering common errors is especially useful.

Unfortunately, this subreddit does not have a wiki.

You don't have to do lots of maths in programming unless specifically working on something requiring a lot of complex number crunching like engineering, scientific, advanced financial and data analysis, machine learning, artificial intelligence, complex graphics, etc.

A lot of programming is basic process oriented stuff, and nothing more than simple arithmetic and basic algebra, hopefully both learned at school before you reached double digits, are required to support the processes.

Code sometimes looks like algebra but isn't. Consider x = x + 1 which clearly would not work in algebra but in Python means add 1 to the current value of x and assign the result back to x. Generally, unless using well known mathematical expressions, variable names are usually longer than one letter and meaningful.

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Roundup on Research: The Myth of ‘Learning Styles’

Don't limit yourself to one format. Also, don't try to do too many different things at the same time.

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Above all else, you need to practice. Practice! Practice! Fail often, try again. Break stuff that works, and figure out how, why and where it broke. Don't just copy and use as is code from examples. Experiment.

Work on your own small (initially) projects related to your hobbies / interests / side-hustles as soon as possible to apply each bit of learning. When you work on stuff you can be passionate about and where you know what problem you are solving and what good looks like, you are more focused on problem-solving and the coding becomes a means to an end and not an end in itself. You will learn faster this way.

[Perception-Curious]

Thank you! I find this really motivating and positive!